The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three new natural color additives for public use, expanding the options for manufacturers to use plant-based colors in food and beverages. This decision aligns with the initiative to replace petroleum-based dyes with healthier, natural alternatives.
Approved Natural Color Additives
Galdieria Extract: Derived from red algae, Galdieria Extract provides a vibrant blue color. It is approved for use in various products, including nonalcoholic beverages, fruit drinks, smoothies, dairy-based products, candies, and frostings. Fermentalg, a French company, submitted the petition for this additive.
Butterfly Pea Flower Extract: This extract yields a blue color that can create shades of bright blues, purples, and natural greens. Already approved for some uses, the FDA has expanded its application to include ready-to-eat cereals, crackers, snack mixes, and various types of chips. Sensient Colors, based in St. Louis, championed this update.
Calcium Phosphate: Providing a white color, Calcium Phosphate is now approved for use in ready-to-eat chicken products, white candy melts, doughnut sugar, and sugar coatings. Innophos Inc., located in Cranbury, New Jersey, brought this innovation forward.
These approvals reflect the FDA's commitment to transitioning away from petroleum-based dyes in the food supply, offering consumers safer and more natural choices. The agency aims to complete the phase-out of synthetic dyes by the end of 2026.